The Kogi State Police Command has paraded 52 suspects for various offences ranging from ballot box snatching, electoral violence, kidnapping and armed robbery across the state.
Parading the suspects at the command headquarter in Lokoja on Wednesday, the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hakeem Busari, said the operatives attached to the command, working on actionable intelligence and in compliance with IGP’s directives to clamped down on political thugs determined to disrupt the general elections in Kogi State have arrested the gang responsible for various electoral violence as well as kidnapping of some innocent citizens across the State.
CP Busari noted that the 52 suspects were apprehended in their various hideouts and locations across the State.
According to him, the suspects arrested confessed to their various criminal roles in the commission of the crime adding that, they have admitted to have participated in Political thuggery in the just concluded elections and several kidnapping/armed robberies attacks on innocent travellers on the major highway across the State.
Giving more details of the arrest, the Police CP said a gang of 12 led by one Segun Olu came to one of the polling unit Yagba West LGA of Kogi State, and attempted to snatch a ballot box, but were resisted by electorate in the polling unit.
“In the Process, the Suspect brought out a locally made double barrel pistol and opened fire and as a result, one Mercy Daramola and Tunde Oladipo sustained injuries. They proceeded to another polling unit to disrupt the electoral process but were arrested and a bag containing locally made double barrel pistols was recovered from them,” he added.
Also, a gang of 11 suspects according to CP Busari were arrested on the March 9, 2019, by the operative of the Nigerian Navy, Ibaji while trying to disrupt the State Assembly election in Ayale polling unit. The Suspects were in possession of locally made Pistols and lives cartridges.
Meanwhile, Musa Haruna, Haruna Ahmadu, Ibrahim Haruna, Gambo Dauda, and Sani Yunu a five Man armed robbery/Kidnapping gang allegedly kidnap and killed a paramount ruler in Adogo under Ajaokuta LGA Alhaji Unman Magaji.
Other suspects paraded were also involved in armed robbery and kidnapping offences.
Items recovered from there were two AK 47 riffle, 15 live ammunitions, six locally made pistol, 25 cartridges, six single barrel gun, three locally made double barrel gun, one Dane gun, one English made double barrel guns, one locally made revolver, two pump action gun, one cut to size double barrel gun, cutlass, one expanded cartridge, one green Vento Salon car and Cell phones.
“These achievements were due to the proactive strategies rooted in intelligence led policing, and robust interactions with the various strata of our communities particularly in the area of information gathering, since it has become obvious that security is an all stakeholders affairs,” the CP added.
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